Governor Scott Changes His Mind on Amazon Deal

After initially rejecting a proposal from Amazon, Gov. Rick Scott just announced he reached a deal with the company. It could bring almost 3,000 jobs to the state.

Scott Campaigning for Governor in 2010.

Credit Bill McCollum / WUSF News

Ideologically speaking, Republicans aren't fans of taxes. That is what forced Rick Scott to think long and hard about the state's deal with Amazon. Along with jobs, the deal also meant the company would begin collecting sales taxes from Florida residents who buy from Amazon.

However, University of South Florida Political Science Professor Susan MacManus says Scott's ideologies lost out to his election promises.

"The governor certainly is aware that he is going to be held accountable by his opponents, by his voters on the jobs front," MacManus adds. "So it's really easy to understand why he is doing this, but on the other hand, it's easy to understand why people are asking questions about him changing positions."

Scott initially promised 700,000 jobs in seven years when he was elected as governor. The Amazon deal could bring almost 1,000 jobs to Hillsborough County alone. The company is considering opening a warehouse in Ruskin.

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Reversing his earlier decision, Governor Scott has reached an agreement with Amazon. While the arrangement will see the Internet shopping titan create 3,000 new jobs, it also includes a 6 percent state sales tax on Amazon purchases for Florida residents.